Jurgen Klopp: Worst Signings of Departing Liverpool Boss in Nine Years with Merseysiders

• Jurgen Klopp's decision to leave Liverpool has opened avenues to discuss his tenure at Anfield
• The German head coach won every available trophy to him during his nine years in Merseyside
• He mostly got his transfers correct, but a couple of players go into his list of the worst signings

A couple of Liverpool fans are still yet to come to terms with the news that Jurgen Klopp will be leaving the club at the end of this season.

After a trophy-laden nine-year spell in Merseyside, the German announced his decision to leave the club, citing a 'lack of energy' to carry on.

The former Borussia Dortmund manager revolutionised a sleeping giant who, before his appointment, had yet to win a Premier League title in the modern era. Part of his success came from his ability to identify players who would fit his system.

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The Reds were notorious for not splashing the top dollar, opting for players otherwise considered modest, before they fully exploded to life at Anfield under Klopp. We can go on and on with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Sadio Mane as stark examples.

Worst Liverpool signings under Klopp

But not every signing that Klopp made at Liverpool - 45 in total - was an instant success. Sports Brief takes a look at a couple of players who, unlike Salah and Mane, failed to excel for the Stuttgart-born manager.

5. Naby Keita

In his defence, Naby Keita was undone by constant issues and Liverpool failed to reap from the £52.75 million fee they paid for him in 2018, according to Sky Sports.

He only started 49 Premier League games in five years before leaving for Werder Bremen last summer.

4. Marko Grujic

The Serbian midfielder had the world at his feet in the winter window of 2016, with a host of top clubs interested in his services. It was, however, Klopp who won the race to make him his first signing at Liverpool.

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Grujic was loaned to multiple clubs and barely got a look into Klopp's team before he permanently left in 2020.

3. Adrian

Adrian's inclusion might be a tad unfair, given that he helped the Reds win the 2019 Super Cup final against Chelsea. He was in place for the injured Alisson Becker, but it quickly became apparent that Klopp couldn't rely on him even as a number two due to his error. He remains with the club, though he is the third-choice goalkeeper nowadays after Caomihn Kelleher.

2. Lorius Karius

It is fair to say that Klopp didn't have as good fortune with signing goalkeepers (before getting Alisson) as he did with strikers. Lorius Karius will forever be remembered for his series of high-profile errors in the 2018 Champions League final.

"I wish him only the best, and he will find a club whenever – now or in the summer. And then from there he will go on, I’m very sure," Klopp told the club's website in 2022.

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1. Arthur

The Brazilian's career took a downward spiral after the infamous swap deal that saw him join Juventus and Miralem Pjanic move to Barcelona.

After finding the Serie A tough to crack, he moved to Anfield on loan, hoping to restart his career. That didn't happen either. He only featured once in his entire loan spell - a 13-minute cameo against Napoli in the Champions League.

Best Liverpool players under Jurgen Klopp

On the flipside, Sports Brief also compiled a list of the best Liverpool players of the Klopp era. Salah undoubtedly leads the list after stepping up his game after joining from AS Roma.

The German manager has also earned many plaudits, including for making Andy Robertson one of the best full-backs in the world despite signing him from Championship side, Hull City.